Author's Note: OMG so sorry for not updating in so long. I've been studying for exams lately. But summer vacation is coming soon, so I'll be able to update all of my fics more often.

ENJOY!

Odin stared at the small shivering girl being presented to him.

"Was she the only one found?" he asked softly as to not frighten the child more than she already was. The soldier shook his head.

"A young boy was found hiding with her. We discovered he was injured, so he was taken to the healers who are seeing to his needs as we speak."

The girl flinched when Odin rose up from his dais. She pressed her back into the soldier behind her as the king came closer. Odin knelt down so that their faces were level with one another.

"My sweet child, hear me. What you have endured is something no innocent should have to go through. Even though it pains me to ask this of you, it is necessary.

"I wish for you to tell me of your experience with the Other. Everything that you have seen or heard. If we are to defeat this great evil, then we must know all we can.

Tony whistled happily as he walked through the corridors . He'd gotten lost three times now, but there was always a guard to point him in the right direction when asked. Nicely of course. Some of the Aesir were still wary of the Midgardians currently living among them.

He was on his way to the throne room, going to tell Odin that they were going to be leaving earlier than planned. Things had been tense around the tower ever since the assassination attempt on Loki a few days ago. It was best if they left as soon as possible.

Tony slowed a bit when he saw more guards than usual posted outside of the throne room. In total, there were about ten guards standing outside of the room. 'That's interesting.' he thought.

"Hey guys. What's with all the crowding here?" he asked pleasantly. One of the larger guards shifted his spear, inclining his head toward Tony.

"We are not permitted to discuss the matters of the Allfather with those whom it does not concern." he said, eyeing Tony critically. Tony grinned up at him.

"Come on. I'm Iron Man! A hero of Midgard. You can trust me." he insisted. Another guard stepped forward, equally large.

"The matters of the Allfather are not to be trusted among outsiders and are of no concern to you." he said coldly. Tony frowned. He was sure he wouldn't be able to bribe them. Their currency had actual gold in it. Nope. Not a chance. He didn't have that kind of cash on him anyway. He just hoped whatever it was, wasn't about Loki.

"Listen, can you at least tell me if it's about Loki or not? 'Cause if it is, then it concerns me too." he said. The guard that had spoken to him tightened his jaw.

"The matter does not pertain to the royal family." he answered after a long moment. Tony let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright then. Just make sure Odin knows that we're going to be leaving before the week is out." he told them. The larger guard grimaced.

"The Allfather will be addressed by his proper title: King Odin or simply by Allfather." Tony raised an eyebrow, but made no comment. He nodded, planning on asking a friendlier guard for directions back to Loki's chambers. A high pitched scream caught his attention and he stopped, turning.

The throne room doors opened a crack and a small girl rushed out. The guards tried to grab her, but she was small enough to escape their large hands. Tony didn't move, even when she plowed into him. He grunted as she pounded her tiny fists into his abdomen, sending sparks of pain up his spine. He grabbed her arms and forced them down to her sides, waiting for her to calm down.

Once she did, she looked up at him fearfully. Her eyes widened to the size of silver dollars when she saw his face. She went pale.

"It's you..." she said in disbelief.

Loki sighed and rolled onto his side, expecting the warmth of Tony to greet him. 'Oh right.' he thought. The inventor had gone to talk to the Allfather, and then to Eir to get some herbs to help with preventing infection in his wound. He groaned, throwing a hand over his face.

"Do you need anything?" he heard his mother ask. Loki peeked out from under his arm at her. She sat in a chair next to the bed, looking at him expectantly. He shook his head.

"No mother. I am well." he told her. She nodded, going back to her embroidery.

Loki groaned, sitting up. She watched him with a curious expression on her face. He swung his legs out of the bed with some difficulty, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Loki." Frigga said in warning. Loki nodded and slowed down, taking his time getting up. He stretched slowly, grateful for his decision to begin going to bed in sleeping robes. It would have been beyond embarrassing if he had been naked with his mother in the room.

Frigga watched him as he gathered an armful of clothes and went into the bathroom, making sure to close the door behind him. Loki checked the brewing pot in a hidden room leading off the bathroom.

The anti-sleeping potion was almost done, he observed with a satisfied grin. He closed the room, entering back into the bathroom. He washed as best as he could with his limited mobility from the stab wound. He cursed when he reached too far and his stitches pulled.

"Are you alright?" Frigga called from his chambers. Loki grunted, leaning against the wall.

"I am fine mother." he told her. When she didn't come in, he assumed she believed him. Just in case she decided to come in anyway, he finished up quickly.

"Well don't you look handsome." she observed, looking at his choice of clothing and his newly washed and braided hair. Loki smiled.

"Well I can't go out looking like I just woke up now can I?" he said. Frigga frowned.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Loki sighed.

"Anthony should have been back hours ago mother. And I am going to see Eir for the poultice he was supposed to bring back." Loki told her. Frigga smiled.

"You do not need to leave, Loki. It would be unsafe. I am sure Anthony will be back soon." she assured him. Loki played with his braid, twisting it between his fingers nervously. He looked down at the floor.

"What if...someone should harm him to get to me?" he asked. Frigga's features softened.

"Loki, I am sure that Odin would not allow that to happen." she told him. Loki glanced up at her, a flash of anger reflecting in his eyes.

"You do not know what he would do. When he banished Thor, did you not tell us that he would not do such a thing?" he asked. Frigga sighed.

"If I know better, and I do, I even think he's be willing to give me up just to get the Tesseract back." Loki said. Frigga gasped.

"Do not say that Loki. Your father would never do that." she insisted.

"That's what you said about Thor!" he exclaimed. Frigga stood.

"I know you are frustrated Loki, but please try to understand. You know that everything Odin does is for the good of the realm." she said. Loki hung his head, feeling weak. Frigga began to wrap her arms around him, but stopped when he stiffened, his arms coming up across his stomach.

"What is it?" she asked. Loki shook his head.

"Nothing mother. Just a slight pain is all." he told her. She nodded.

"Perhaps you should go to see Eir." she suggested. Loki smiled.

"Alright." he said slowly.

"I will send a quad of guards with you. Just in case you should need them." she told him. Loki shook his head.

"Mother, you need not go through all the trouble. It will be but a simple trip to the healer's." he protested. Frigga smiled.

"I know Loki, but it is for your own protection." she insisted. Loki gave in with a simple nod, too tired to argue. He watched as she selected four trusted guards from the twelve that were surrounding his room to accompany him, sighing internally. He eyed them, not really having noticed how large they were before. He hadn't really been allowed outside of his room all that much in the past few weeks before the attack.

Two of the guards kept a fair distance behind him, while one went ahead and the last stayed close to his side. Loki couldn't help but feel a bit insecure next to the muscular guard. He was even thicker than Thor, he observed. It unnerved him.

When Eir saw them, her eyes widened in surprise. The look quickly turned disapproving, seeing that he was out of bed so soon after the attack.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" she asked sweetly. Loki smiled, hearing the order to go back to bed clearly not-so-hidden. Loki shook his head.

"I would but, Anthony was supposed to be back hours ago with the numbing herbs I sent him here for. You haven't seen him pass through here have you?" he asked. The healer shook her head.

"I have not seen him today, but I do have those herbs. I'll get some for you." she said. Loki nodded thankfully, already starting to feel his chest throb with the beginnings of pain.

"He is very sweet, that man. I am glad you both are together. But...perhaps you should speak with your wives. Angrboda is quite anxious to see you." Eir said. Loki nodded.

"Soon." he promised. Eir smiled, patting his cheek.

"Perhaps you should check the kitchens. I heard he was fond of the cakes your mother makes." she advised. Loki sighed, letting how tired he was bleed through. The healer eyed him worriedly, but kept to herself.

"Fine. I think I need something to eat anyway." he said. He thanked her for the medicine and left in search of his estranged boyfriend. After stopping for a snack in the kitchens, he began to hear a commotion creeping up from the corridors of the castle. He frowned, going to see what was wrong. Of course, his guards followed closely behind.

Outside the throne room, a group of nobles stood arguing. Looking about he spotted Tony's form, his arms wrapped around a much smaller figure. His eyes were glued to Odin, who was waving Gungnir above his head in a very unkingly way. Loki smirked.

"Quiet! I said quiet!" he commanded. Everyone settled down, but continued to whisper among themselves. Odin sighed. That was as good as he was going to get he supposed.

"The matter of this child is simple. Since her parents are no longer alive, she will go to the next of kin. Just as the law states. Is this acceptable King Njord?" Odin asked. The Vanir king nodded slowly.

"Of course. It would be the best option at the moment." he answered. Odin nodded again, urging everyone back inside the throne room so they could conclude the meeting.

Loki glared daggers at Tony's back. The man had worried him almost to death and here he was listening in on the Allfather's meeting. Loki narrowed his eyes, preparing to tear Tony a new one, as the mortals said.

"Anthony." he growled. Some of the nobles hung back, watching the tow of them. The inventor turned to look at the god, a smile pasted across his face. It faltered when he saw Loki.

"Hey! Look, I got a little caught up here." The inventor gestured to the small child clinging to him. Loki glanced down at her, his expression softening. He swallowed thickly, his throat becoming dry when she turned to look at him. Her eyes widened and she tore herself from the inventor.

"Loki!" she exclaimed, running toward him. Loki staggered back, feeling as though he had been punched in the stomach. He stared at her in disbelief.

She was the girl from his nightmares.

"No...you can't be alive." he gasped, holding his hands out in front of him. He had seen her die at the hands of Thanos.

The girl paused, confused at why he was treating her this way.

"Loki...don't you remember me?" she asked tearfully. Loki clamped a hand over his mouth, biting back the sob threatening to tear itself from his throat. She moved toward him again and he screamed. He backed away from her, pushing past his quad of guards as he turned to run.

Everything was spinning. The walls were shrinking around him. Everything grew cold and hot at the same time. Loki pulled at his collar, which was becoming too tight. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.

He felt hands on his back, voices calling his name. He closed his eyes, heaving up his breakfast onto the floor. Then he was shaking uncontrollably. Hands held him down as he jerked on the floor, his world fading into darkness.

Author's Note: I know, I know. A cliche ending. But you know...Anyway as I said I will be updating my fics more often now that I will finally have a break from school.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

:)